


The Return of a King

by Flying_Raven



Series: Eret and his Path to Redemption [3]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eret Needs A Hug (Video Blogging RPF), Eret Redemption (Video Blogging RPF), Eret becomes king again, Eret does not have a good time, Eret-centric (Video Blogging RPF), Fluff, Gen, He/Him Pronouns for Eret (Video Blogging RPF), Hurt/Comfort, I'm Bad At Summaries, I'm Sorry, King Eret (Video Blogging RPF), Manipulative Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Panic Attacks, Tags Are Hard, but then he kinda does
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-16 08:36:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29947341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flying_Raven/pseuds/Flying_Raven
Summary: Eret’s eyes hardened, although that was hard to see behind his sunglasses.“I will only consider retaking my position as king if I’m promised full autonomy. That means no guidance, no interference, no help. Nothing. If this request is not granted you can take your kingship and shove it somewhere unpleasant.” he bravely said. His hands were shaking, and he balled them into fists to hide it. Dream seemed to sour for a second, and Eret could imagine him pulling a sour face behind his mask.“I’m willing to… consider your request. Conditions would apply. Make your decision by tomorrow.”Dream offers Eret his kingship back. Eret struggles with the memories of the last time he was king and tries to make his decision. Luckily, he has his friends to help him.
Relationships: Eret & Cara | CaptainPuffy, Eret & Cara | CaptainPuffy & Toby Smith | Tubbo, Eret & Toby Smith | Tubbo
Series: Eret and his Path to Redemption [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2182158
Comments: 3
Kudos: 64





	The Return of a King

**Author's Note:**

> Tying things together is so nice to do! Hope you enjoy! Comments are pog :) they make me more motivated to keep writing this series <3

Eret held the new crown in his hands. Dream stood in front of him, waiting impatiently on his answer. 

“So you are asking me to become king again?” he asked the green man. He nodded.

“Yes. George wouldn’t keep neutral.” he said. Eret tried to suppress a scoff. 

“I need to think this over. My last experience as king wasn’t exactly positive. I have no desire being a shadow puppet again.” he blurted out, immediately having to suppress a flinch as he realised he was talking to Dream. Dream frowned, crossing his arms.

“I was only helping you Eret. You needed a lot of guidance.” he said.

_ A fist to his face made warm blood flow slowly from his nose. Dream was in front of him, Sapnap was restraining him. But to be honest, he probably didn’t need to be restrained. The fight had left him a while ago.  _

_ “That is your punishment for disregarding my orders Eret. It wouldn’t have come to this if you’d just listened. You make it so difficult for yourself. Just listen to my orders next time.” Dream said, his voice sickly sweet. Eret felt himself nod. What else could he do? He didn’t want to find out what the punishment was for non-compliance this time.  _

Eret’s eyes hardened, although that was hard to see behind his sunglasses. 

“I will only consider retaking my position as king if I’m promised full autonomy. That means no guidance, no interference, no help. Nothing. If this request is not granted you can take your kingship and shove it somewhere unpleasant.” he bravely said. His hands were shaking, and he balled them into fists to hide it. Dream seemed to sour for a second, and Eret could imagine him pulling a sour face behind his mask.

“I’m willing to… consider your request. Conditions would apply. Make your decision by tomorrow.” with that, the man walked away, leaving Eret alone in the wind. He could feel the pit in his stomach, the anxiety at being around Dream intensifying. It was weird to him how the panic only seemed to hit after the man had left, but he didn’t give himself time to contemplate why. He quickly made his way back to Tubbo’s house, where he was staying for the time being. Shutting the door, he couldn’t stop himself from sinking to the floor. 

Panic, all he felt was panic. His throat felt tight, like he couldn’t swallow properly. Worse, he couldn’t get a good breath in. Every breath felt like it didn’t get enough air into his lungs, however deeply he breathed. He was so scared of having to be under Dream’s control again. Even if he still felt like he deserved the things that Dream had done to him, he couldn’t help but wonder if he really did. Because if he did, why were some of his friends still so nice to him?

Fuck, he really couldn’t breath. He coughed, trying desperately to get some air into his lungs. Vaguely, he heard someone enter the room and say something. But his brain didn’t process it. He had no sense of time. The only thing he could process was the feeling of the hot tears running over his cheeks and the fact he couldn’t breath enough. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his chest and back, forcing him to uncurl himself (when had he curled up in the first place?) He flinched away from the touch, but the hands remained. 

“-Et? Eret? Eret can you show me you can hear me?” a female voice finally entered his ears. He knew he knew her, but he couldn’t quite tell who it was. He managed to nod, immediately choking on his breath again and coughing. The woman hummed. “Okay, that’s good. Eret, I’m going to place your hand on my chest. I need you to try and breath along with me okay?” she said. Eret shook his head frantically.

“Can’t” he choked out. The woman shifted in his view, but she didn’t become clearer.

“I know you can Eret, just try it with me okay?” she said. Eret took a stuttering breath in, stumbling over it and coughing. But he kept trying, somehow trusting the woman in front of him. It took a long time for him to slow his breathing down and for his vision to clear. But when it finally did he realised the woman in front of him was Puffy. He probably should have known, he thought. Puffy was a therapist after all, even if she didn’t perform the job that often. He leaned back against the door, before realising that it in fact was quite uncomfortable on the floor. Somewhere behind Puffy he could see a worried Tubbo on the couch. He wiped the remenants of the tears of his cheeks and pushed himself up, still shaky. Puffy kind of caught him and helped him to the couch. 

“I’m sorry about that.” he managed to say. He awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, turning to Tubbo specifically. “I didn’t mean to scare you Tubbo. I really should have kept that to myself.” he continued. Puffy frowned.

“Eret, I think I speak for both Tubbo and I when I say we are not angry about you having a panic attack. We’re just worried. Tubbo found you having one when you returned and got me.” she said. Eret’s mind was still caught onto the words ‘panic attack.’ Was that what that feeling was? He’d experienced it a few times before, usually triggered by Dream. But those times he’d just have to suffer through it until he’d exhausted himself. This was the first time someone had helped him. It was… nice. “Do you want to talk about what happened?” Puffy asked. Eret looked down at their hands.

“Dream asked if I wanted to be king again.” he finally said. Tubbo gasped. 

“But he was the one who dethroned you in the first place!” he said, clearly offended. Eret shrugged.

“Apparently George didn’t stay neutral enough. I said I would consider it if I had full control this time.” he continued. 

“You didn’t last time?” Puffy asked gently. She hadn’t been on the SMP when Eret was king the first time. Eret shrugged.

“Dream would help me. I just… I didn’t, I don’t, want his help anymore. He wasn’t very… gentle at guiding me. I suppose I needed it, but still.” he said. 

“How would he help you Eret?” Tubbo asked, confused. 

“He just… he would like tell me to do things right? Things that needed to be done. But I would never do them right. So he would punish me. I’m not going to say how. I deserved it. Thing is… I think I fucked up saying I didn’t want his help if I became king again. I would love to be king again, just to do more good for the greater SMP. I just don’t want his guidance anymore. I can do it alone… right?” the last part came out as a question. Puffy wrapped an arm around him. Honestly, she really wanted to know what Dream would do. But she could see that pushing the topic would get her no results. Eret was clearly not ready to talk about it. But whatever it was, it must not have been pleasant. It wasn’t hard for her to deduce that the memories of the ‘guidance’ could have caused the panic attack. 

“I think you absolutely can. Do you want to?” she asked. Eret paused. 

“I want to be a king to protect people. I don’t want to leave my friends again. It was so lonely the first time. I don’t want that pain again.” he said softly. Tubbo moved closer to him.

“You wont be! We’ll be right here, and we’ll visit you!” he said. Eret huffed out a laugh, although it sounded somewhat like a strangled sob.

“I won’t feel safe. That’s the problem. I feel like I constantly have to watch over my shoulder because Dream could be right behind me, reminding me of all the mistakes I’m making.” he said. 

“You should get knights! That way you have people who protect you! Seriously Eret, there is no person on the SMP who would make a better king than you.” Tubbo continued. The suggestion made Eret pause. Knights, friends who would protect him. He’d be able to be a king on his own. Free to make his own mistakes. He’d learn on his own, not fearing punishment anymore.

“I’d be your knight if you wanted too.” Puffy said softly. The comment was enough to make him melt into her touch finally. 

“Please.” he managed to get out. “I want to be able to do this. I fear what would happen if Dream chose another monarch that wasn’t me.” he said. Puffy nodded, he felt it more than he saw it. 

“Let me help you. Tomorrow we can go to Dream and tell him you’ll become king again. Only this time it will be fully you and the people you choose. And the alliances you choose.” she said. Eret nodded, leaning back and closing his eyes. First, he wanted sleep. And sleep is what he got.

The next day he stood in front of Dream again, this time with Puffy behind him. She was wearing her armour, looking very knightly already. He took a deep breath before speaking.

“My terms have not changed. I’ll become king again, on the condition of absolutely no interference from you or your friends. I think it’s a reasonable condition. I know you don’t have many options for a monarch of the SMP. No help, no suggestions, no punishment.” he said. Dream looked at him coldly.

“I agree to your conditions,  _ king _ .” he practically spat out the last word. “On a condition of my own.” he leaned closer to Eret, and Eret could feel Puffy inching closer to him as well. “If you fuck up, if people get disgruntled, don’t expect anything from me. Nothing. Got it?” he finished, backing off again and holding out the crown. Eret stared at him for a second, before pulling out his own, old crown. 

“Perfectly clear. It was pleasant conducting this deal. I will be conducting my own coronation. I assume my castle is still available” Eret knew he was pushing his luck, but goddamnit, it felt good to be able to stand up to his  ~~mentor~~ ~~old friend~~ ~~tormenter~~ the man for once. Dream nodded curtly, before turning around and leaving without another word. Puffy patted him on the back.

“I’m proud of you Eret.” she said. Eret smiled at her, still shaking a little. “Want to check to see how the castle is doing? I think we might need some help making it livable for you again.” she suggested. Eret nodded. 

“I like that idea Puffy, I really do.” he said. “It needs to be perfect for my coronation after all.” he said, laughing after. 

Being a king again would still be challenging, but now he could make his own choices without consequences. And that thought alone was enough to make it a lot better. 


End file.
